Will rust corrode Boston Bruins' second line?

Coach Claude Julien has thrown down the gauntlet, saying that the Bruins could sink or swim this season based on the play of the rusty No. 2 line of David Krejci, Nathan Horton and Milan Lucic.

Of the three, only Krejci played during the lockout, with 16-11-27 totals in 24 games for Pardubice in the Czech Republic. Horton, whose wife recently gave birth, and Lucic, whose wife is due soon, stayed home and did some skating, but it hardly compares to competition.

And there's always that black concussion cloud hanging over Horton, who has been sidelined for nine months.

“A lot will depend on them as far as our success as a hockey club,” Julien said after Tuesday's practice TD Garden. “It's unfortunate, but they're one of our top lines, and David's the only one that's played. ...

“Unfortunately, we have to rely on those guys, hopefully, to find their games quickly. All I can say is, every day in practice now, they're looking better and better, and I'm seeing that chemistry come back.”

Julien also challenged the fourth line of Gregory Campbell, Shawn Thornton and Daniel Paille to rediscover their form of 2010-11, when they were keys to Boston's Stanley Cup title run. They went from a combined 29-33-62 and plus-22 to 22-22-44 and minus-15 last season — a drop of 18 points and 37 in plus-minus.

“They need to find that chemistry and that positive energy they gave us (the year before),” Julien said. “Maybe last year was tough because all three of those guys were obviously looking for new contracts and were maybe pressing too much.

“But now is a situation where they can get back to doing what they did (when) they outworked everybody they played against and they threw pucks at the net and crashed the net, and that's how they got offensive results.”

Tuesday night's Black and Gold Scrimmage was actually a scrimmage between the NHL Bruins from last season, plus rookies Chris Bourque and Dougie Hamilton, against the AHL's Providence Bruins, including six of those who have been part of Boston's training camp this week — defensemen Aaron Johnson, David Warsofky and Matt Bartkowski and forwards Lane MacDermid, Ryan Spooner and Jay Pandolfo.

B's backup goalie Anton Khudobin suited up for Providence, while the P-Bruins' Michael Hutchinson sided with the parent club.

Julien said he can see improvement every day in the Bruins who didn't play during the lockout. “Right now, I have no complaints,” he said. “If anything, I'm pleasantly surprised at the pace and the sharpness in our hockey team right now.” ... The coach hinted that the team might take more days off during the second half of this season, when the Bruins play 30 games in the last two months. He also indicated that game-day skates may be trashed occasionally. ... Rich Peverley missed Tuesday's practice for what Julien called “personal reasons,” but he was expected to be in the scrimmage later that night.

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